Zandra's Blog: Socks, Socks, and More Socks

In January, I started the Certified Public Manager Program through KU's Public Management Center. Knowing that I would have less time for knitting between working full time and having homework, I decided at most of my knitting was going to have to be fairly mindless this year. Fortunately for me, basic stockinette socks are pretty mindless for me. I have to concentrate a little when working on the heel and toe, but other than that, I can pretty much go on autopilot.

Since finishing the socks I made for Christmas gifts, I have completed another five pairs of socks. The last three pairs I have done in the last three weeks. Yes, I managed to make three pairs of socks that fit me in less than three weeks. There have been a lot of changes at work, and while some have resulted in less stress, others have resulted in more stress. At least sock knitting is a good way for me to deal with it.

I started the Kiwi Socks on January 8, 2011 using some Steinbach Wolle Strapaz Norweger Ringel in a green colorway that I purchased at The Studio Knitting & Needlepoint in Kansas City, Missouri. After starting them, I noticed that they did not match. To deal with it, I decided to call them Another Pair of Dobby Socks. I like my socks to match, and when they do not, it bothers me. Calling them Dobby Socks makes it a bit easier to handle. However, after finishing them, two different friends remarked that they made them think of Kiwis (the fruit), so I renamed them. Because I also worked on some other projects during this time, I did not finish them until February 17, 2011.

I started the Bryce Canyon Socks on February 18, 2011 and finished them on March 8, 2011. I made these for a friend of mine, using Universal Yarns Ditto in the Bryce Canyon Black colorway. When I was initially looking for a suitable yarn for his socks, I saw the colorway and knew it was perfect, because he has actually been to Bryce Canyon. As I continued working on this pair of socks, it became readily apparent they did not match. The stripes lined up just fine, but they looked like they were made from different dye lots. When I bought the skeins of yarn, I made sure they all had the same dye lot, and if you held the yarns up together, they look the same, but as you can see, they look rather different when knitted up.

Luckily my friend did not care that they do not match exactly.

I started the Salt River Socks on March 8, 2011 and finished them on March 14, 2011. For these I used Wisdom Yarn's Marathon Sock in the Phoenix line. When I made socks for my stepsister and stepsister-in-law, I was a bit jealous, because I really liked this yarn. Now I was finally making a fair for me in this yarn.

After these I made a pair of sock using Regia's Kaffe Fassett Design Line in the Mirage Jungle colorway. I started these on March 15, 2011 and finished them on March 20, 2011.